Kobayashi considers F1 noses “dangerous”

The first race of the Formula 1 season was an opportunity to note that, from the first collision between two cars, one of the fears expressed by Adrian Newey in January could be confirmed: « I have to admit that I’m a bit afraid […] that the cars can now go underneath another. If you hit the back of the car and then go underneath, you will end up in the crashbox, which I believe is a much worse scenario, » he had stated to our British colleagues from *Autosport*.

Thus, in the first corner of the season’s first start, the failure of the braking system on Kamui Kobayashi’s Caterham caused him to crash into Felipe Massa’s Williams. The Japanese driver’s car then slid under the FW36, lifting it about forty centimeters off the ground, before it slid on the nose and each car went in a different direction.

The FIA, which questioned the issue during winter testing, did not see fit to change the design of the single-seaters and preferred to postpone addressing this problem to 2015.

When asked about this issue, Kamui Kobayashi believes that it should not be taken lightly: “It was a serious problem, and it can be quite dangerous for the driver,” he stated to Autosport.

He mentions his own experience and the increasing risks on circuits more conducive than Melbourne to speed and therefore to more violent collisions: “I think I was lucky not to get injured, because if it happens in Monza, it could be dangerous. The speed at the first corner isn’t that high [at Albert Park]. When I saw the images afterward, it can be quite a scary thing.”

Also, he refers to the primary reason for the regulatory change and calls for discussions: « We must take seriously what has happened, because we have switched to different noses for safety reasons. If it is dangerous to run with different noses, then I think we need to discuss further about what to do with the regulations. »